Line tap stick wrench



Nov. 23, W37. 5' P. BECKER LINE TAP STICK WRENCH Filed Oct. 7, 1956 5mm" FT Becker.

(1 ttorneg Patented Nov. 23, 1937 PATENT OFFICE LINE TAP STICK WRENCH Stephen P. Becker, Poughkeepsie, N. Y.

Application October '7,

1 Claim.

This invention relates primarily to a stick or pole wrench of the socket type, and more particularly to a tool or device for securing tap clamps to primary line wire conductors for the Q purpose of eifecting either permanent or temporary taps to lead conductors.

For this purpose it is desirable that the lineman be able to reach a feed-wire located upon the outer end of a cross-arm, from the pole with- 10 out being obliged to climb out to the feed-wire in order to install and tighten the clamp on the w1re.

Most'of the clamps now in use for this purpose are provided with a tightening screw hav 15 ing an eye-head or a fiatted circular head that may be engaged either by a hook or socket mounted on the end of a stick by which the lineman can readily reach the feed-wire both to install or remove the clamp from a distance of 2 several feet.

Hooks and other devices on the end of a stick have many disadvantages and a socket wrench is hard to keep in place and to Work with.

, The object of this invention is to provide a 25 device or tool adapted to be mounted upon the end of a stick, to be employed in locating, attaching, and removing line-tap clamps from feed-wires and the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a 30 tool which may be temporarily attached to the clamp and by which the clamp may be located on the feed-wire.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tool of this class which shall not require any ad- 85 justment and which by rotary movement of the stick may be attached or detached from the clamp bolt.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tool for this purpose that shall be self-con- 40 tained and composed of few parts combining strength and durability.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel construction 45 and combination of parts that will hereinafter be fully described and claimed and further illustrated by the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof, and in which like figures of reference refer to corresponding parts in all of the 50 views, and it is understood that slight changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal view partly in sec- 55 tion, taken on the line l-l of Figure 4, and show- 1936, Serial No. 104,407

ing the device being applied to the eye or ring bolt end of a line-clamp.

Figure 2 is a similar view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 4, and showing the positions of the various parts for the eye-bolt to enter.

Figure 3 is a similar view, but showing the position of the various parts after the device has been given a quarter turn to prevent the removal of the eye of the bolt, and in position for rotating the eye-bolt to tighten the clamp, and showing a different means of attachment to the stick.

Figure 4 is an end view of the device in position for entering. the eye-bolt.

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 2, and showing the locking means for the socket.

Figure 6 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 3, and showing the driving means between the socket and the head.

Referring to the drawing:

The device comprises an outer tubular head composed of a body member ID and an integral pole socket member ll having a common axis and the two aligned bores l2 and I3; the end of a pole or stick I4 is secured in the socket l3 in any suitable manner.

Rotatably mounted within the bore I2, is a socket-member l5 formed with a transverse slot l6 open at the upper end to receive the eye ll of the bolt I8.

The upper end of the head member ID is formed with a counterbore l9 within which is secured a cap 20 by the screws 2! threaded through the wall of the member and entering the periphery of the cap 20; said cap 20 being flatted as at 22 to fit within the flats 23 of the counterbore l9 and prevent any rotation between the cap 20 and the head member ill, retain said cap within the counterbore l9 and remove any strain from the screws 2|; said cap is formed with an oblong tapered opening 24 for the passage of the eye IT.

The eye socket member [5 has three positions within the head member l0 and in relation to the cap 20; the neutral position as shown in Figures 1, 2, 4, and 5, where the slot I6 is in registry with the oblong opening 24 in the cap 20 to permit of the passage of the eye-bolt H; the two driving or operating positions for either tightening or backing out the bolt [8 as shown in Figures 3 and 6, so that the stick can not drop off the eye.

Thus the socket member [5 has an oscillating movement of 180 within the body member In and is retained in any of these three positions by a catch, comprising a radial bore 25 formed inone side of the socket member l5 at right angles to its axis and within which is mounted a ball 26 on the spring 2! adapted to enter any one of the three holes 28, 29, and 30 which are formed in the wall of the member ill at an angle to each other.

For the purpose of driving the socket member IS in either direction, the casing head member I is formed within the lower part of the bore l2 with an integral triangular lug 3|, as shown in Figure 6, and located in the path of a similar lug 32 which is formed on the lower end of the socket-member l5, so that when the socket member I5 is in either of its driving positions (that is a quarter turn either way from neutral) the lugs 3| and 32 will contact with each other and the socket member l5 will be rotated by rotating the head l0.

As the slot IS in the socket member I5 is at right angles to the oblong opening 24 in the cap 20, when in either of its driving positions, the eye I'l cannot be removed from the device, as the eye I! will be at right angles to the opening 2| in the cap 20, and thus cannot be withdrawn therethrough.

In using the tool, the eye ll of the bolt I8 of a clamp is inserted through the opening 24 in the cap 20 and into the slot [6 of the socket member I5 and the same given a quarter turn within the head ID to bring the slot I6 at right angles to the opening 24 and prevent the eye I! from being removed;

The clamp is then placed on the feed wire by use of the stick or pole I4, and the head I 0 is rotated to tighten the bolt l8 after which, by a slight reverse movement, the socket I5 will be moved a quarter turn to bring the slot l6 and opening 24 into registry so that the tool may be removed from the eye-bolt H.

In Figure 3, I have shown the head It! formed with a shank 33 having a slot 35 and a series of teeth 34 adapted to engage with registering teeth formed on a similar member having a socket end secured to the stick, the two members being secured together in an adjustable manner by a bolt.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

In a stick-wrench of the class described, the combination of a head formed with an axial bore and mounted upon a stick, of a socket-member formed with a transverse slot in its outer end and rotatably mounted within the bore of said head, a driving lug located in the bottom of said axial bore, a driven lug formed on the bottom of said socket-member in the path of said driving lug and adapted to contact therewith to rotate said socket-member, and means for retaining said socket-member either in a driving, neutral or driven position within the head, comprising radial holes formed in the wall of said head and a spring actuated ball latch mounted in said socket-member for selective engagement therewith.

STEPHEN P. BECKER. 

